The Winter of Our Lives

Author: Barnes, Sara

Modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945)

Published on 9 November 2023 by HarperCollins Publishers (One More Chapter) in the United Kingdom.

Paperback | 384 pages
131 x 197 x 27 | 308g

An uplifting novel on friendship, the menopause and the healing power of nature!

She was the only human being down at the lake. Elbows, in need of a slather of moisturiser, pointed at the clouds; breasts, lifted to pre-children perkiness; baby belly stretched and flattened. She stretched her arms out wide as she started to walk barefoot into the lake. Peering down into the clear water, she pulled down her goggles. It was time to plunge forwards, succumbing to the embrace of the water.

It was as if she were flying.

For friends Stevie, Holly and Angela, the last few years haven't been kind. With marriage breakdowns and sacrifices, their only moments of peace come when they are outside in the wild waters of the Lake District.

Now it's time for these three women to love themselves, just as they love the cold, and take charge of their own happiness in this uplifting and meditative novel of friendship and the healing power of nature.

Readers are loving The Winter of Our Lives:

‘A beautiful story that I highly recommend to any middle-aged female outdoor swimmers out there. It would make a thoughtful and incredible gift for any nature lover or someone going through a similar journey.'

'I laughed, cried and related to each character like they were my closest friends.'

‘…an intensely personal story about four older individuals who find acceptance, connection and the desire to live through physical exercise in the wilds of nature.'

'This novel was a perfect find for me. All my life I had been an avid hiker and outdoor adorer until my MS diagnosis and progression altered my future in a desolating way.'